[USMA:17455] RE: ACWM. Was: Re: Insight Mag
Amish possibly. But then wouldn't be using a computer either. Baron Carter -Original Message- From: Han Maenen [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Thursday, 17 January, 2002 12:45 To: U.S. Metric Association Subject: [USMA:17454] ACWM. Was: Re: Insight Mag It is strange that the 'Americans for Customary Weight and Measure' (ACWM) from Seaver Leslie does not have a website like the BWMA and F2M do. I wonder what other modern technology they reject. Maybe this organization has ONE member: Seaver Leslie! Han - Original Message - From: Nat Hager III [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: U.S. Metric Association [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Saturday, 2002-01-12 23:55 Subject: [USMA:17404] Insight Mag This showed up on my database... Nat http://insightmag.com/main.cfm/include/detail/storyid/161345.html Issue Date: September 24, 2001 THE METRIC SYSTEM - Still a Matter of Inches By Erin Condon snip But Seaver Leslie, chairman of Americans for Customary Weight and Measure (ACWM), attributes the resistance to the national psychology. We're a very practical, independent-minded nation, he says. By rejecting the metric system Americans are celebrating the poetry, practicality and accuracy of our superior English units. He views metric proponents as profiteers introducing new units of measurement that do not work and require highly expensive changes from which special interests will profit. If industry and manufacturers want [metric], Leslie says, that's fine. But don't force it on people.
[USMA:17456] Queen responds
The British Queen responds to metrication request. Queen's sawmill in metric muddle [The Royal Family at the Sandringham estate, Norfolk] Sandringham Sawmill is on the Queen's Norfolk estate The Queen's Sandringham estate sawmill has changed the way it labels its products after a warning that it was flouting metrication laws. Norfolk Trading Standards officers have ordered the sawmill to start selling lengths of wood in metres not feet, it has emerged. As far as I know, I am not aware of the Queen having Crown Immunity on these matters Ian Bartram of Norfolk Trading Standards A spokesman for the Sandringham estate said imperial markings had been displayed at the mill in large white lettering with the metric in small print, contrary to EU rules. He also admitted that the sawmill had broken the law in failing to keep a metric measuring stick but said they were in the process of securing one. He said the sawmill had sought advice from trading standards officials and would from Monday selling timber measured in feet and metres. The sawmill manager said the regulations were hard to understand but the system was now being changed. Rules 'difficult' Ian Bartram, Norfolk County Council's assistant head of trading standards, said one of Her Majesty's Inspectors had visited the sawmill last Friday where a number of irregularities were found which meant the business was breaking the law. [Sandringham House ] Sandringham Sawmill was visited by trading standards As far as I know, I am not aware of the Queen having Crown Immunity on these matters, he said. Sawmill manager Peter Borner said the EU regulations were very hard to understand. A Palace spokesman said: The Queen always acts according to whatever legislation is in place at the time. The sawmill at Sandringham is obviously not operated by the Queen herself and so this would be a matter for the people operating the mill. Asked whether the Queen could be subject to a prosecution the spokesman said: I suppose the answer would be technically not. Earlier this year Sunderland grocer Steve Thoburn was dubbed the metric martyr after he refused to give up imperial measures. He was found guilty in April of selling his goods in pounds and ounces. http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/uk/newsid_1498000/1498612.stm Madan __ Do You Yahoo!? Send FREE video emails in Yahoo! Mail! http://promo.yahoo.com/videomail/
[USMA:17457] California to Number Exits on Freeways
Note reference below to exit numbers being based on miles, and on mileage markers along the roadside. California is firmly in the metric camp. Does anyone know if these exit numbers will be km-based, in reality? Carleton - http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-04088jan16.story?coll=la%2Dheadlines% 2Dcalifornia%2Dmanual California to Number Exits on Freeways Traffic: The system, already in use in almost every other state, is aimed at reducing motorists' confusion. By HUGO MARTIN TIMES STAFF WRITER January 16 2002 For everyone who has been confused by the two Chapman Avenue exits on the Orange Freeway in Anaheim or thrown off course by the four Sierra Highway exits on the Antelope Valley Freeway: Change is on the way. Beginning this month, California plans to start numbering the exits on its state and interstate freeways, like just about every other state in the union has for years. Under the plan, which will cost up to $30 million, the exit numbers will ascend from zero starting at the Mexican border on all north-south freeways. Freeways that run east-west will start at zero at the Pacific Ocean. The exit numbers will be added alongside street names on a total of 5,800 exit signs. The change will occur over three years as crews complete their routine replacement of freeway signs around the state. The numbering system is expected to reduce confusion, particularly for out-of-towners and motorists who haven't memorized freeway exits, many of which have similar names. For example, the numbers would help distinguish the El Camino Real exit on the Golden State Freeway in San Clemente from the nearby Camino de Estrella and Camino Capistrano exits. Law enforcement officials also hope the numbers will reduce accidents caused by motorists who veer across traffic because they suddenly realize they are about to miss their exit. It's simple, said California Highway Patrol Commissioner D.O. Spike Helmick, a supporter of the numbering system. Someone tells you to take the I-5 to Exit 17. As you get closer . . . 14, 15 and 16 . . . you know your exit is coming up. The exit numbers also will help travelers place themselves in the California cosmos. On north-south routes, the exit number will correspond to the number of miles from the Mexican border, while on east-west routes the number will designate the approximate distance to the Pacific Ocean. (Thus, Exit 150 on the Golden State Freeway would be roughly 150 miles from the Mexican border.) The Federal Highway Administration has required such a numbering system for all states since the late 1950s. But at that time, California had already built an extensive freeway system and thus was exempt from the federal guidelines. Still, the federal government, local law enforcement and traffic-safety advocates have touted the benefits of numbered exits for years. I've been a real advocate for this for the five years I've been on the job, said Matthew Schmitz, safety engineer for the Federal Highway Administration in California. But some state officials have resisted the change, saying it would be costly and unnecessary. When asked in 1991 by a Times reporter about adopting the federal system, a spokesman for the California Department of Transportation said: If it isn't broke, why tinker with it? Chuck O'Connell, who was Caltrans' deputy district manager in Los Angeles from 1960 to 1995, said no one ever pushed that hard for numbers on exits. It didn't really come up on the radar screen as a high priority, he said. Caltrans spokesman Dennis Trujillo attributed the change to a directive from Gov. Gray Davis to Caltrans chief Jeff Morales to make the state's highway system more efficient. It is because the time has come and it makes sense to make the changes, Trujillo said. The nearly 6,000 new signs will be made of a new, highly reflective material that will be easier for drivers to see at night. Caltrans in the past experimented with the exit numbering system in Southern California, but never extended it to all 4,138 miles of the state's freeways. In at least one case, the numbering system helped fuel the lore of one small liberal arts college. Years ago, Caltrans added numbers to the exits on the San Bernardino Freeway around Claremont, including a No. 47 for an exit that leads to Pomona College. The number has since been adopted as the school's lucky number because, by coincidence, 47 is also the number of students who graduated in the school's first class and the school's motto has 47 characters. California already has a system that marks specific freeway segments based on a post mile maker. The small white signs resembling rowboat paddles designate the distance from each county line. Thus, the first sign on the northbound Santa Ana Freeway at the San Diego County line reads 0.0, while the last one before the freeway crosses into Los Angeles County reads 44.38. When it converts
[USMA:17458] question to all of you!
guys, how did you get to the metrication stuff? what was for you the reason to say " stop, I dont want to be bothered by imperial anymore!"? bye ICQ# 101182044
[USMA:17460] Re: question to all of you!
Well, the main thing that got me into supporting metrication was the Metric Martyr's campaign!! It rankled with me that they were trying to turn what is in fact a grossly trivial issue and portray it as something that was an affront to our democracy and another example of the EU taking over our way of life when it was patently nothing of the sort!! I realised at the time people in this country had bought things in metric measures with no complaint for years!! I had not seen things like bottles of lemonade and bars of chocolate in imperial measures since I was a young boy!! It was also obvious to me this campaign was an attack on Europe and was backed by right wing campaigners who were seen burning the EU flag on television!! I wrote a few letters to my local paper lambasting the absurdity of this campaign!! I would have left it at that if Mr Neil Herron didn't have the temerity to dig out my 'phone number and proceed to argue with me over my opinions in the paper!! This led me to dig out as many facts that I could muster to prove that this was a dishonest and misleading campaign!! All this gave me an insight into the metric history of Britain and how easy to use metric actually was!! Upuntil a year or so ago, I use to think in imperial but, after discoveringthat it is easier to use than I first thought, I have become a bit of a convert!! The fact is, apart from our road signs on public roadswhich have to be in yards and miles and the preservation of the pint, loose goods are the only real preserve of the use of the pound and the ounce; and many people who shop at markets tend to by number anyway, not by weight!! Nobody mourned the passing of the gallon or the bushel and peck, so why all the artificial fuss over the pound and ounce?? Regards, Steve. [EMAIL PROTECTED] - Original Message - From: Wizard of OS To: U.S. Metric Association Sent: Friday, January 18, 2002 5:54 PM Subject: [USMA:17458] question to all of you! guys, how did you get to the metrication stuff? what was for you the reason to say " stop, I dont want to be bothered by imperial anymore!"? bye ICQ# 101182044
[USMA:17459] Re: Queen responds
Madan wrote: (referring to Steven Thoburn, 'Metric Martyr') He was found guilty in April of selling his goods in pounds and ounces. ARRRGG! He was found guilty of WEIGHING in imperial, not SELLING in imperial!! The selling of loose items in imperial is still permitted!! It is the use of imperial-only scales that is NOT permitted. When will the people who publish these articles get their facts right?? Or is it in their interests to keep peddling this lie?? Regards, Steve. [EMAIL PROTECTED] - Original Message - From: M R [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: U.S. Metric Association [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Friday, January 18, 2002 4:00 PM Subject: [USMA:17456] Queen responds The British Queen responds to metrication request. Queen's sawmill in metric muddle [The Royal Family at the Sandringham estate, Norfolk] Sandringham Sawmill is on the Queen's Norfolk estate The Queen's Sandringham estate sawmill has changed the way it labels its products after a warning that it was flouting metrication laws. Norfolk Trading Standards officers have ordered the sawmill to start selling lengths of wood in metres not feet, it has emerged. As far as I know, I am not aware of the Queen having Crown Immunity on these matters Ian Bartram of Norfolk Trading Standards A spokesman for the Sandringham estate said imperial markings had been displayed at the mill in large white lettering with the metric in small print, contrary to EU rules. He also admitted that the sawmill had broken the law in failing to keep a metric measuring stick but said they were in the process of securing one. He said the sawmill had sought advice from trading standards officials and would from Monday selling timber measured in feet and metres. The sawmill manager said the regulations were hard to understand but the system was now being changed. Rules 'difficult' Ian Bartram, Norfolk County Council's assistant head of trading standards, said one of Her Majesty's Inspectors had visited the sawmill last Friday where a number of irregularities were found which meant the business was breaking the law. [Sandringham House ] Sandringham Sawmill was visited by trading standards As far as I know, I am not aware of the Queen having Crown Immunity on these matters, he said. Sawmill manager Peter Borner said the EU regulations were very hard to understand. A Palace spokesman said: The Queen always acts according to whatever legislation is in place at the time. The sawmill at Sandringham is obviously not operated by the Queen herself and so this would be a matter for the people operating the mill. Asked whether the Queen could be subject to a prosecution the spokesman said: I suppose the answer would be technically not. Earlier this year Sunderland grocer Steve Thoburn was dubbed the metric martyr after he refused to give up imperial measures. He was found guilty in April of selling his goods in pounds and ounces. http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/uk/newsid_1498000/1498612.stm Madan __ Do You Yahoo!? Send FREE video emails in Yahoo! Mail! http://promo.yahoo.com/videomail/
[USMA:17461] Re: question to all of you!
Wizard of Oz asked in USMA 17458: guys, how did you get to the metrication stuff? what was for you the reason to say stop, I dont want to be bothered by imperial anymore!? bye --- - ICQ# 101182044 !DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC -//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN HTMLHEAD META http-equiv=Content-Type content=text/html; charset=iso-8859-1 META content=MSHTML 5.50.4912.300 name=GENERATOR STYLE/STYLE /HEAD BODY bgColor=#ff DIVguys, how did you get to the metrication stuff?/DIV DIVnbsp;/DIV DIVwhat was for you the reason to say stop, I dont want to be bothered by imperial anymore!?/DIV DIVnbsp;/DIV DIVnbsp;/DIV DIVbye/DIV DIVBR HR width=33% B CENTERICQ# 101182044/CENTER/B/DIV/BODY/HTML There are two reasons to go metric: 1) If we want to do business with 95 % of the world we should use a measurement language that they understand; 2) It will save us a lot of confusion and unnecessary arithmetic. Stephen Davis asked in 17460: Nobody mourned the passing of the gallon or the bushel and peck, so why all the artificial fuss over the pound and ounce?? Most motorists don't ask for gallons. They buy their gasoline (petrol) from a self-service pump or the tell the attendant Fill 'er up!. The bushel and peck are farmers' language. But when one wants to buy loose produce from a green grocer, one must state the wanted quantity. One is embarrassed if one hasn't the faintest idea of how many grams or kilograms one wants. Joseph B.Reid 17 Glebe Road West Toronto M5P 1C8 TEL. 416-486-6071
[USMA:17462] [Fwd: California road exit numbering scheme]
This forwards a message I received today from Jeff Gross. In it, he asked me to pass this along to the USMA mail list. I have just checked the Caltrans site http://www.dot.ca.gov/ and found nothing posted yet about the topic. Carlton cited an LA Times article in [USMA:17457], which Jeff had also read, as he says below. Jim Original Message Subject: California road exit numbering scheme Date: Fri, 18 Jan 2002 23:53:58 - From: Jeff Gross [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: James R. Frysinger [EMAIL PROTECTED] References: 683334356.1011308210389.JavaMail.vpmail@gimli 725665264.1011315950140.JavaMail.vpmail@gimli Hi Jim, I'm a member of the UKMA, and am also a Californian although I live in London now. I read with interest a story on the Los Angeles Times website that Caltrans is planning on adding exit numbers to freeway offramps. California is one of the few states that currently don't use this system. Since Caltrans is one of the state departments of transportation that continues to use metric, I sent an e-mail to the head of the agency (Jeff Morales) suggesting that rather than using miles to calculate the exit numbers, they use kilometres. I do know they are planning on using a mile based scheme rather than consecutive numbers. I don't know anyone associated with the USMA except yourself, but I thought this might be an interesting opportunity for them. Below is a copy of the e-mail I sent. I just got it out tonight. Perhaps you can pass it on to the appropriate people at the USMA. Thanks, Jeff Gross -- to: Jeff Morales [EMAIL PROTECTED] I read with interest in the LA Times of 1/16/02 that California highways are going to adopt the exit numbering system similar to that used in other states. Since Caltrans has wisely decided to continue to use the metric system in construction (despite the ISTEA derogation), why not use kilometers rather than miles to calculate the exit numbers? I can see several advantages to this: 1. Less need for letter designators to follow the numbers (as 1 km is shorter than 1 mile) - exits relatively close to each other are more likely to have a unique number. 2. Since state records need to be updated as a result of the change, the change won't have to be done again when there is a comprehensive conversion to the metric system. Same with the signs! 3. Californians for the most part aren't familiar with exit numbering schemes - an exit 400 (km) would mean as much as an exit 250 (mi). Although there is no doubt a vocal minority of people opposed to the metric system (for no good reason really, especially as it is used as the primary m easuring system by every country except the US), I would wager that the bulk of Californians wouldn't mind. The answer to the trivia question how are the exit numbers determined would have an interesting answer, which would be (for now) unique to California. Please consider this, as I bet it would also help today's Caltrans workers who already work using metric. By the way, I miss the dual mi/km distance road signs on California highways. I'd like to see them brought back. Jeff Gross Cardiff by the Sea
[USMA:17463] TRANSITION TO EURO SET TO BE PUT TO THE TEST
TRANSITION TO EURO SET TO BE PUT TO THE TEST The European Commission is set to examine the ongoing transition of national currencies to the euro. All 12 nations that have adopted the single currency will present their stability plans to the commission. Later, the plans will be evaluated by ECOFIN. Initial results regarding the changeovers in Austria, Belgium, Finland, Holland, and Luxembourg will be made available on January 15, along with Sweden's plans to adopt the euro as well. The second report regarding Italy, Greece, Ireland, France, Germany, Spain and Portugal-the nations whose accounts are considered to be at risk-will be issued on January 30.
[USMA:17465] Re: SI popularization (I just tried this!)
2002-01-19 You should send them to that lady to distribute them to her customers. Maybe she can convince others as she was convinced. John - Original Message - From: Jim Elwell [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: U.S. Metric Association [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Thursday, 2002-01-17 09:37 Subject: [USMA:17448] Re: SI popularization (I just tried this!) Jason: As my dad would say, Ya done good! I like your approach. Can I send you some more rulers? To all the list: my offer of free rulers stands. Just send me your name and address and they will be on their way. Jim Elwell
[USMA:17466] What is the dollar value of the Euro?
2002-01-19 The Friday edition of the USA Today Newspaper and the Cleveland Plain Dealer both reported a 7 ¢ drop in the value of the Euro to 0.81150 $. But, the Houston Newspaper I saw at the Hobby Airport reported its value as 0.88150 $. Even the currency exchange house at the Airport was showing the base price at 0.81150 $. But they were selling Euros for 1.05 $. It seems to be if there was a 7 ¢ drop in the Euro it would have been headline news. Can you guys check your local papers for he present Euro value? I want to know who is reporting the wrong value? John
